Ali Akbar Rosady
Gable Steveson, the Olympic gold medalist and burgeoning heavyweight mixed martial arts prospect, has explicitly attributed his current commitment and mindset toward MMA to a pivotal interaction and subsequent training experiences with UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones. Steveson, who currently holds a professional MMA record of 2-0 with two finishes, is rapidly generating buzz within the fight community, fueling speculation regarding an imminent call-up to the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). His definitive transition to mixed martial arts over the past year, however, was not a straightforward path but rather one significantly influenced by a direct message from the former two-division UFC champion and widely regarded all-time great.
Steveson detailed the genesis of this crucial relationship during an appearance on the widely listened-to Joe Rogan Experience podcast. "I knew Jon from Instagram," Steveson explained, recounting the initial contact. "He sent me a DM, he sent me his number, and if you know Jon, he don’t answer the phone worth anything – and it’s crazy. He sent me his number and said ‘call me,’ so I called him and this is before he got hurt for the first Stipe [Miocic] fight. He was like, ‘I want you to come practice with us, I want a wrestling partner.’" This initial outreach marked the beginning of a mentorship that would profoundly shape Steveson’s career trajectory. Despite a temporary detour, the connection was re-established. "I left him and played football. Next year comes… he’s like, ‘I want you to come back for the second camp.’ He’s going through it, me and Jon hit it off like that."
Steveson’s journey to professional mixed martial arts has been atypical, marked by detours into professional wrestling and American football before fully committing to the cage. A collegiate wrestling phenom at the University of Minnesota, Steveson carved out an illustrious amateur career. He secured two NCAA Division I national championships in 2021 and 2022, earning the Dan Hodge Trophy as the nation’s best collegiate wrestler in both years. His crowning achievement came at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics (held in 2021), where he captured the gold medal in the men’s freestyle 125 kg category, solidifying his status as one of the most dominant amateur wrestlers of his generation. His explosive athleticism, powerful takedowns, and relentless pace made him a compelling prospect for MMA long before any formal commitment.
Following his Olympic triumph, Steveson signed an unprecedented Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deal with WWE in September 2021, a move that saw him forgo his senior year of collegiate eligibility while still being able to compete. The expectation was for Steveson to transition into professional wrestling, leveraging his athletic prowess and charismatic personality. He made sporadic appearances on WWE programming, including WrestleMania 38, and underwent training at the WWE Performance Center. However, his progress within the sports entertainment giant appeared to stall, and in May 2024, WWE officially released him from his contract, ending a chapter that many had anticipated would lead to main-roster stardom.
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Almost immediately after his WWE release, Steveson explored another avenue: professional American football. In June 2024, he signed a contract with the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League (NFL). This move raised eyebrows across the sports landscape, as Steveson had no prior organized football experience at any level. While some multi-sport athletes have successfully transitioned to the NFL, often from college backgrounds, Steveson’s case was unique. His signing was largely seen as a high-upside gamble, potentially for a role as a defensive lineman or a specialized athlete. However, this venture proved to be short-lived. Just a few months after signing, Steveson was released by the Bills, marking the end of his brief foray into professional football. It was these successive releases from WWE and the NFL that effectively cleared the path for Steveson to fully dedicate himself to pursuing a career in mixed martial arts, a move that many analysts and fans had long predicted and eagerly awaited.
The opportunity to train with Jon Jones proved to be more than just a wrestling exchange; it was a transformative educational experience for Steveson. Jones, widely considered the greatest mixed martial artist of all time, holds an unparalleled record and a resume that includes multiple defenses of the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship before his successful transition to the heavyweight division. He captured the vacant UFC Heavyweight Championship in March 2023 by submitting Ciryl Gane in the first round at UFC 285. At the time of Steveson’s training sessions, Jones was deep in preparation for his highly anticipated first heavyweight title defense against former two-time champion Stipe Miocic, a fight that represents a monumental clash of eras and legacies in the division.
Steveson’s role as a wrestling partner was invaluable for Jones, given the latter’s own exceptional wrestling pedigree, which has been a cornerstone of his success in the octagon. However, for Steveson, it was an unparalleled opportunity to observe greatness up close. "I needed somebody to kind of engrave it in me," Steveson elaborated on the podcast, distinguishing this experience from his wrestling career. "With the wrestling, I had my father, I had the University of Minnesota, I had good people around me kind of say, ‘Hey, this is how we’re going to do it, this is where you need to go, and this is how it’s going to happen.’"
The direct, unfiltered observation of Jones’s meticulous preparation, physical execution, and psychological fortitude provided Steveson with the missing blueprint for navigating the complexities of elite-level combat sports. "And when I saw Jon, I saw that drive, like, ‘Damn, this guy’s winning and people get close but they can’t get past him. Why is that?’" Steveson pondered. This question led him to a deeper analysis of Jones’s approach, far beyond mere technique. "So I really sat back and watched his mental, how he went about a lot of things, how he talked to people, how he walked, how he punched, how he looked when he was in the pocket, when he needed to get out, when he rested his hands. And I saw everything."
This comprehensive observation allowed Steveson to witness the intricate layers of a championship-caliber athlete. It encompassed Jones’s strategic thinking, his composure under pressure, his ability to conserve energy, and his psychological warfare—elements that collectively forged his "superstar" aura. "I was like, ‘Man, this guy’s a superstar – a super, super star,’ and we all knew that, and people knew that for a long time," Steveson stated, acknowledging Jones’s widespread acclaim. However, the firsthand experience transcended public perception. "But I really saw him and I was like, ‘Damn, I want to be that,’ and that’s what really flipped my switch right there." This personal revelation solidified Steveson’s ambition and provided a clear, inspiring vision for his own potential path in MMA.
Steveson officially made his professional MMA debut in March 2024, competing under the banner of the MMA promotion, where he quickly dispatched his opponent with a first-round TKO. He followed this performance with another dominant victory, securing his second professional win via another finish. His two quick finishes have showcased his formidable wrestling foundation, explosive power, and nascent striking ability, validating the long-held belief within the MMA community that he possesses the raw tools to succeed at the highest level.
The historical precedent for Olympic wrestlers transitioning to MMA is strong. Athletes like Daniel Cormier, a two-time Olympian and former two-division UFC champion, and Henry Cejudo, an Olympic gold medalist and former two-division UFC champion, have demonstrated the incredible potential of elite wrestling as a foundation for MMA success. Their ability to control opponents, dictate the pace and location of fights, and avoid takedowns often provides a significant advantage. Other notable examples include Mark Schultz and Kevin Jackson, both Olympic gold medalists who also ventured into professional fighting. Steveson’s background places him in this elite lineage, and his early performances suggest he is on a similar trajectory.
As Steveson continues to hone his striking, submission defense, and overall MMA game, the question of when he will receive a UFC contract looms large. His Olympic pedigree, coupled with his impressive 2-0 record and the direct mentorship from Jon Jones, makes him one of the most compelling prospects outside the UFC roster. While the transition from amateur wrestling to professional MMA is demanding, requiring significant development in striking and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Steveson’s physical gifts, mental fortitude, and now, a clear inspirational blueprint from a legend like Jon Jones, position him uniquely for a potentially meteoric rise in the heavyweight division. The coming months are expected to provide further clarity on his immediate future, with many anticipating his arrival in the UFC as a significant event for the heavyweight landscape.
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